Concentrator



May 26, 1936.

l. B. HUMPHREYS CONCENTRATOR Filed Feb. 8, 1933 s'sheet-sheet 1 w I W May 26, 1936- 1. B.- HU'MPHREYS Y 2 2 0 CONCENTRATOR Filed Feb. s, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 1 B. HUMPHREYS 2, 42,402

CONCENTRATOR Filed Feb; 8, 1935 V 3 Sheets-Shet 3 Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in a concentrator of the so-called wet type wherein water or other fluid is utilized for the purpose of causing a separation of the heavier from the lighter materials being operated upon.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved concentrator upon which is practiced a new and improved process of separating materials.

Other further objects, novel features of construction and improved results of the invention will appear in more detail from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved concentrator.

Fig. 2 is a Vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through the concentrator box.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the front end of the surface agitator.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view through a modified form of rifile.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified 5 form of surface agitator.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken on the line 'l'! of Figure 5.

30 Having reference to the drawings and describing the invention by reference thereto, l represents a base or bed upon which the concentrating box 2 of the concentrator is reciprocably supported. At the head or feed end of the box 35 there is a feed trough or bin 3 for directing ore or other like material downwardly onto the inclined bottom portion 4 of the box. Preferably water or other suitable fluid is fed into the feed hopper and box with the ore and a conduit 5 is 40 indicated for this purpose. Immediately adjacent the lower end of the inclined box bottom portion 4 and extending transverse the box bottom there is positioned a depressed concentrator receiving and discharging trough 6 which ex- 45 tends through one side of the box (not shown) for discharging the concentrates exterior of the box for collection.

Between the concentrator trough and the supplemental end portion 1 of the box there is 50 arranged in the box bottom and. extending transversely thereof a plurality of steps or corrugations 8 having rearwardly and downwardly slanting top faces 9 and vertically arranged front edges or faces Ill.

55 The rear or tailings end of the box is closed by an end wall II which incidentally forms one wall of the tailings discharge l2 at the tailings end of the box. This tailings discharge extends outwardly through the side wall of the box to discharge exteriorly of the box as inlicated at l3. 5

A surface agitator A is positioned in the box in parallel separated relation to the bottom thereof. This surface agitator as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings is in the form of a screen or grid It. The front end of the screen 10 is supported upon two rods or standards I5 connected by a cross bar l6 which rests in the concentrates discharge trough 6. The rods I5 are connected loosely to the grid to permit a rocking motion of the grid and to cause the bar to 15 keep the bed of material in the box bottom and in the concentrates discharge opening loose. The rear or tails end of the grid is supported by an operating arm H which extends through the rear end wall l I of the box and has its outer end 20 suitably connected as at l8 to a motion imparting mechanism B.

The box bottom is provided with downwardly extending members l9 having suitable connection with an operating arm 20 which arm is movably supported in suitable standards 2| and has connection with a motion imparting mechanism C.

The motion imparting mechanisms 13 and C are driven by a suitable motor 22 positioned on the base I. Driving power is imparted primarily by a belt 23 to a pulley 2:1 carried by the shaft 25 of the box motion imparting mechanism C. To properly synchronize the motions of the box and of the surface agitating grid the grid motion imparting mechanism B has its drive shaft 26 provided with a pulley 21 having a chain connection 28 with the shaft 25 of the motion imparting mechanism C. V

The motion imparted to the box and to the surface agitating grid is such as to cause material coming in contact with the grid 01' with the bottom of the concentrating box 2 to be moved in one direction only. Any conventional motion imparting mechanism common to the prior art could be utilized, such as that commonly illustrated and described in respect to the well known Wilfley concentrating tables.

Although the two motion imparting mechanisms are interconnected to keep them synchronized it is to be understood that the motion imparted to the surface agitating grid operates in the opposite direction to the motion imparted to the concentrator box with the result that although the screen and table may or may not be traveling in the same direction at the same time, the snap or quick return which causes the movement of material always occurs in opposite directions in the grid and in the box.

In operation the Water and ore would ordinarily be fed together into the feed box and the water will constantly flow over the supplemental box The end 1 into the tailings discharge trough l2. feed of the material is as of a consequence towards the tailings or rear end of the box.. The heaviest particles to be concentrated will sink immediately through the fluid and find their way down the inclined box bottom portion 4 into the concentrates discharge trough 6 for delivery but of the box. The lighter materials will be carried by the water towards the tailings discharge trough as indicated by the arrows 30. The flotant ma terial will be constantlyagitated by the surface agitating grid A and will also be hurriedand as w sisted in its movement towards theetailing discharge by the motion imparted to it by this member. ;During.this agitation of the surface and 'flotant material which agitation is of course augmented and increased by the riflles 8, the heavier materials will settle out of the flotant material and any of them which may be above the grid will settle through the grid and due to the motion of the box will be caused to travel in the direction indicated by the arrows 3I' towards the head of the table and against the feed of the material to be collected in the concentrates discharge trough '6. e e r It will be of course understood that as anyof the heavier'mat'erial which has passed beyond the concentrates discharge and collection chute settles through the water it will displace lighter material flotant in the water upwardly through the grid and this displaced lighter material will pass out with the water into the tailings discharge trough.

I Accordingly there will be a certain degree of circulation both upwardly and downwardly of 'material through 'the'grid during the operation of the concentrator. It is to be understood however that the main object of the grid is to cause a movement of the upper part of the bed and V the material above the grid towards the tailings discharge end of the machine while the box itselfis moving the lower part or strata of the bed towards the head of the'machine against the natural feed of the material.

The action or operation 'of this concentrator mightbe expressed in another way by stating that the surface of the material in the box has somewhat the action of a jig bed as the material is agitated by the grid thus allowing the heavier particles to settle while the upper flotant lighter material is carried off by the conveying action of the grid. It is to be understood that the conveying action of the grid as mentioned is not to be understood as being carried on the grid while being supported by the grid but that the action is one by which the material is moved by the moving action of the grid towards the tailingsidischarge trough. The bed of concentrates, as this settling action takes place, is being constantly moved forward to the concentrates discharge and the collection trough by the conveying action of the box.

This surface agitating and material moving grid has the advantage of not requiring such a large amount of water during the operation of the machine and by thus cutting down the water Qflowg'iving the minor particles of the heavier material a better and longer opportunity to settle to the bed, thus effecting a better concentration.

The concentrates discharge and the tailings discharge are so arranged that a sufiicient bed of material in the box is always present to assure proper operation and functioning of the separating process. a

In the drawings the box is illustrated as being horizontally mounted without either longitudinal or, transverse inclination. Longitudinal inclination can be used to either speed up or slow down the movement of the material through, the box.

The inclination of the grid and of the box could be different were it desired to slow the action upon the material by one of these elements and speed up .the. action upon the material by the other of these elements. It is to be understood also that the speed of the material through the trated as being present in the bottom of the box 7 these are for the purpose of increasing the agitation of thematerial and the separating capacity of the box, but are not absolutely necessary.

In Figure 4 of the drawings there are illustrated corrugations or ribs running longitudinally rather than transverse the box bottom. Ac-

.tual practice has proventhat a box providedwith.

ribs or corrugations of this type will operate successfully. I

In Figures 5 to 7 inclusive a different form of" grid is illustrated. In Figures 1 to 3 inclusive the grid is illustrated as being'in the form of a screen, whereas in Figures 5 to 7 inclusive of the drawings the grid is illustrated as being composed of longitudinally extending side members interconnected by cross members 36 having rounded top portions 31; arranged in separated parallel relation across the supporting side bars 35.

From the foregoing it will be seen thatboth the grid and the box by reason of their motions agitate the -material to permit and allow the heavier particles to settle and that additionally the grid aids in the movement of the surface material towards the tailings discharge while the movement of the box causes the movement of the settled heavier concentrates towards the head end of the box against the natural movement of the material due to the feed and water move ment. 7 e 7 Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. An improved concentrator, comprising a horizontally disposed material receiving box mounted for longitudinal reciprocation, a mate'- rial feed means at the head end of the box, a concentrates collection and discharge means adjacent the head end of the box, a tailings discharge at the foot end of the box, ajflat grid ex-.

.tending across LSaid box and positioned substantially parallel to and in separated relation to the box bottom but below the pulp level in the box and suitably supported to permit longitudinal movement or the grid, means to impart reciprocation to the box and means to impart reciprocation to the grid, and said reciprocating means constructed to impart a quick return motion to the grid and box respectively and to impart said quick return to said members in opposite directions.

2. An improved concentrator of the wet type wherein the material acted upon and separated is introduced into the box with a fiotant liquid, comprising a box having at its front end a feed mechanism and at its rear end a tailings and liquid discharge, a concentrates collector and discharge in the bottom of said box adjacent the feed end thereof, a flat grid-like member movably supported at a point beneath the normal pulp level in said box and in a position substantially parallel to but in separated relation to the bottom of said box, rifiies in the bottom of said box between the concentrates discharge and the tailings discharge, said box and said screen being mounted for longitudinal movement, means to impart longitudinal movement to the box and to the screen comprising mechanism adapted to impart a quick or snap return movement of these members, and said movement imparting mechanism constructed to cause the snap return movements of the box and the screen to be in opposite directions to one another.

3. An improved concentrator of the wet type wherein the material acted upon is introduced into the separator together with a fiotant liquid, comprising a concentrating box having a horizontally disposed bottom and having at one end a feed mechanism and at its opposite end a tailings and liquid discharge, the bottom of said box heneath the feed mechanism elevated and inclined downwardly towards the tailings discharge end of the box, a concentrates collection and discharge means in the bottom of said box adjacent the feed mechanism and the lower end of the inclined box bottom portion, means in said box to maintain at all times therein a bed of material, a grid movably supported in said box in a position substantially parallel to and in separated relation to the box bottom but beneath the normal pulp level in the box, material agitating means in the bottom of the box, said box being supported for longitudinal reciprocation, means to impart longitudinal reciprocation to both the screen and the box comprising mechanism constructed to impart a quick return motion to these members, and the motion imparting mechanism further constructed to cause the quick return motions of the grid and box in opposite directions to one another, for the purpose described.

4. An improved concentrator as defined in claim 3, wherein the material agitating means in the bottom of the box comprises riflies.

5. An improved concentrator as defined in claim 3, wherein the material agitating means in the bottom of the box is in the form of riflies extending transverse the box and having downwardly and rearwardly extending top surfaces and vertical front end walls.

6. An improved concentrator of the wet type wherein the material acted upon is introduced into a receptacle together with a continuously moving stream of liquid, said receptacle comprising a box having at one end a feeding mechanism and at its opposite end a tailings and liquid discharge, a concentrates collection and discharge means in the bottom of said box closely adjacent to the feed end thereof, a grid supported in said box in a position substantially parallel to and in separated relation to the box bottom, a support for the inner end of said grid and resting within said concentrates collection means, means to reciprocate said grid and to rock said support, means to reciprocate said box, the motion imparting means for said box and said grid constructed to cause a quick return motion to said members, and the quick return motions of the grid and box occurring in opposite directions to one another, for the purpose described.

7. An improved concentrator of the wet type wherein the material acted upon is introduced into the separator together with a fiotant liquid to cause a settling of the heavier material and a fiotant discharge of the lighter material, comprising a box having at one end a feed mechanism and at its same end a concentrates collection and discharge means, a tailings and liquid discharge at the opposite end of the box, a grid reciprocable between the ends of said box and positioned beneath the normal pulp level in said box, means to recprocate said grid, means to reciprocate said box in an endwise direction, the movement of said grid and box being in opposite directions to one another, said box reciprocation causing a movement of the heavier settled material in a direction towards the concentrates discharge and against the flow of liquid, and said grid causing an ecceleration of the movement of the fiotant lighter material in the direction of the flow of the liquid and towards the tailings and liquid discharge.

8. An improved concentrator of the wet type wherein the material acted upon is introduced into a receptacle together with a continuously moving stream of liquid, said receptacle comprising a box having at one end a feeding mechanism and at its opposite ends a tailings and liquid discharge, a concentrates collection and discharge means in the bottom of the box closely adjacent the feed end thereof, a grid for reciprocation within said box and the liquid therein, a support for said grid resting within the concentrates collection means, means to reciprocate the said grid and to rock said support, and means to reciprocate said box, the parts operating for the purpose described.

IRA B. HUMPHREYS. 

